<p>OK. It was poor wording. We’re not trying to exploit weaknesses in ED agreements for financial aid, and my deposit for Reed is already packaged to be sent out (since for some reason their site doesn’t accept visa cards…). I was making conversation, and it looks foolish in retrospect. However…</p>
<p>The situation does raise interesting questions. Besides a general aura of taboo around the whole process, it’s not clearly outlined as to forbid the weighing of offers between an ED school and an EA school. </p>
<p>This is all that’s outlined in the ED agreement:
“Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and
be released from the Early Decision commitment”
and
“If you are an Early Decision candidate and are seeking financial aid, you need not withdraw other applications until you have received
notification about financial aid.”</p>
<p>With some schools, such as Brown, there’s ED and nothing more, but most allow for EA applications as well, and when the responses come in at a similar time, things fall into a gray area. Honestly, it’s hard to tell what’s affordable and what isn’t, even with a meticulous budget, as so much is subject to change, when you have two competing offers, it’s hard not to mentally compare them. The thing is, however, it’s need based aid for ED, and for any EA schools it would only be merit aid, which is unlikely anyway.</p>
<p>Sorry for hijacking this thread. I promise to not get in trouble with the powers that be!</p>
<p>BACK on topic - I’ve been to Colorado Springs twice, long before the collegiate search, and while I liked the Garden of the Gods, and a certain Italian restaurant I no longer recall the name of, but as I’m sure you’re all aware, it rather contrasts with the (unrepentantly liberal) atmosphere at CC. The viewbook makes note of proximity to Denver, but what is the closest, um, really nice town? Not necessarily a bustling metropolis (it could be quaint), but a well designed hamlet with one of those classic American mainstreets to escape to.</p>